Religious culture in Nanyang goes back to ancient times. Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity and Catholicism are widespread in Nanyang. The temples, Taoism abbeys and churches vary in style. Some are elegant and simple, some are delicate and unique, and others are a combination of Chinese and Western elements. They form a unique cultural landscape in Nanyang.
Buddhism
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Buddhism was introduced into Nanyang in 322 AD. The Amitabha Temple, with a history of 1,700 years, is the earliest Buddhism temple in Nanyang. Since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907), Buddhism has been widespread here. There are more than 40 famous temples in Nanyang, among which Shuilian Temple, Xiangyan Temple, Bodhi Temple and Danxia Temple are the most famous.
Tongbai's Shuilian Temple
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Shuilian Temple, located in the valleys 6 kilometers west of Tongbai county, is an important ashram of Liji Zen and a Buddhism activity center in southern Henan province and northern Hubei province. Shuilian Temple is known as the Four Famous Temples in the Central Plains together with Baima Temple in Luoyang, Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain and Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng.
Henan Buddhist College
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Henan Buddhist College is located in the Longtan River Scenic Spot, Tongbai county. It has an area of about 40 mu (26,667 square meters). It has a beautiful environment surrounded by water and mountains. The main temple adopts the architectural style of the Sui (AD 581–681) and Tang (AD 618–907) dynasties. The educational system offers four-year full-time undergraduate degrees. The college began to recruit students in the Buddhism cycle and society in September 2010. It is China's sixth and Henan's first Buddhist college.
Xiangyan Temple
Xiangyan Temple, located in Cangfang town, Xichuan county, is a Buddhist shrine in the southwest of Henan province. All the walls of the Mahavira Hall are painted frescos. Figures have various postures and expressions on their faces in the frescos with precise composition. It is the biggest colorful fresco in the Central Plains.
Taoism
Taoism is a native religion in China. Every Taoism abbey is a calling card of Chinese traditional culture. The existing famous Taoism abbeys in Nanyang are Nanzhao's Wuduo Mountain Taoism Abbey, Fangcheng's Lianzhen Gong, Tongbai's Zushi Ding and Dengzhou's Dongding Zushi Temple.
Islam
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Masjids are the religious activity centers of Islam. There are 124 Masjids in Nanyang, among which Hejie Masjid is the most famous. It sits in the south of Hejie Street, Zhongzhou East Road, Nanyang city, with more than 430 years of history. This Masjid exerts a large influence on the southwest of Henan province.
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